


It Starts With A Hug

by Wle0416



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alex Manes Needs a Hug, Brief Jesse mentions, Brief mentions of unhappy childhood memories, Brothers, Jesse Manes is His Own Warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:54:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26177563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wle0416/pseuds/Wle0416
Summary: Greg catches Alex sneaking out and sees him and Michael together.
Relationships: Alex Manes & Gregory Manes, Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Comments: 13
Kudos: 96





	It Starts With A Hug

Greg hated being back in Roswell, even if it was only for a week.

There was nothing for him in Roswell anymore except Alex, and their relationship was strained at best these days. They were never particularly close growing up, and it was hard to forge brotherly bonds when you grow up with a monster as the head of the household.

But even if their communication was sparse and their connection fleeting, Alex was still his little brother.

He was the boy who followed him around the reservation when they were kids visiting his mom's family, begging him for a piggy-back ride. The boy who burst into his bedroom when he was five years old, blood streaming down his chin, to announce that he'd lost his first tooth.

He was the boy Greg could hear crying himself to sleep on his twelfth birthday after a run-in with their father.

Greg had wished many times that things would be different for Alex, but it was wishful thinking. Two days back in his father and brother's home and he hadn't seen anything beyond a scowl permanently scowled across Alex's face.

That was until Friday night.

With their father having retired to bed already, Greg was just about to shut his bedroom door and do the same when he happened to catch Alex quickly walking past his bedroom. His door was barely ajar, and he was so quiet Greg would have never noticed him if his eyes hadn't been looking in that direction.

There's no telling what compelled Greg to follow his brother, but before he knew it, he traced Alex's steps down the stairs, out the back door and around the front of the house.

Greg kept his distance, and much like Alex, he knew exactly how to sneak around the Manes house and property without tipping anyone off.

When Alex started walking down the street hastily, hands stuffed into his hoodie, Greg stayed back by the house's side. When he got a few doors down to the McKenzie's house, Greg watched Alex climb into a pickup truck's front seat. It was too dark to see what color the car was, and Greg crept out from the side of the house and up to the nearest neighbor's yard to get a closer look.

Greg squinted, and the first thing he saw was curls, luscious curls that framed the face of…Michael Guerin?

Greg thought that was his name, but he wasn't positive. Alex was a few years younger, and he didn't know many people in his grade, but he vaguely remembered Michael being in one of his senior-level classes when he was younger due to his intelligence. He was a quiet kid, never wanting to show anyone up, and he was kissing his brother?

It was a quick peck, like the kind you give a significant other as they're walking into the house after a long work-day. Greg looked to Alex, face illuminated by a nearby street lamp, and he was smiling more than he'd seen him smile in years.

Alex looked soft, whole, at peace. Greg saw Alex's head flail back in laughter, and he caught Michael looking at Alex with the purest grin, eyes wide, taking in Alex's genial expression like he was staring at a treasure chest full of gold.

Greg knew that expression well. It was the same way he looked at Suzie Grant junior year. Like she was the most perfect living thing on the planet, and he could never get enough of just looking at her and allowing himself to revel in her beauty.

It was the trademark look of love.

Michael Guerin was in love with his little brother. And judging by the way Alex leaned in to press his forehead against Michael's and softly cradle his moppy curls, his little brother was head over feet in love with Michael Guerin.

The next morning, Jesse was gone before either brother woke up, and Greg found himself knocking lightly on Alex's door with a cup of tea in hand.

"Come in," Alex replied sleepily. Alex was still lying in bed as Greg came through, and he sat up promptly to take the tea from Greg's outstretched hands.

"How are you, Alex?" Greg said, clearly a slight tickle in his throat. He found himself leaning against Alex's desk, trying to present casually but knowing he was failing.

He had never had any conversations with Alex about either of their love lives, and he didn't want to mess this up. He couldn't mess this up.

"I'm okay, Greg. How are you?" He spoke slowly, skeptically. Eyeing Greg over the top of his mug and sizing him up.

Greg had been in active war zones, and yet his brother regarding him with such suspicion was the most horrible sight he could remember. "I'm okay."

Alex lifted his eyebrows, and made like he was going to say something but then seemed to think better of it, shaking his head a little instead. "Well, thanks for the tea. I'm going to get a shower. I have work later."

"I saw you." Greg blurted out.

"You saw me do what?"

"Alex, I saw you."

Alex laughed, but it never reached his eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about, and I really do need to get ready for work."

He got off the bed and started toward the door, but stopped in his tracks when Greg began speaking. "I saw you with Michael Guerin."

Gone was the forced laughter of a minute ago and even the doubt on Alex's face. It was replaced with something darker, sadder. "So, you're following me? Dad put you up to this?"

"What? No. Of course not," Greg left his perch on the desk and walked closer to Alex. "I just happened to see you leave last night, and I saw you with Michael. And you've seen it this week. I've barely even talked to Dad."

"Okay, what is this then? Are you going to tell Dad? What do you want from me to keep quiet?"

Greg physically felt the venom in Alex's words and brought his hand to Alex's bicep, squeezing it gently. "I just want you to be careful, brother."

"Michael treats me well," Alex croaked out, eyes downcast and looking everywhere but at Greg.

"I'm sure he does. And I'm really glad to hear that."

Greg's words were small but mighty, and Alex slowly dragged his glassy eyes up to meet his. "You mean that?"

Greg pulled Alex to his chest, hugging him tight and hoping that all the love he had for his brother would be felt through this one spontaneous hug. "Yes."

As Alex tightened the hug, Greg thought back to that night Alex had proudly shown him his first tooth.

"Greggy, look! Look!" He'd shouted, so proud and so loud.

"Wow! Look at you growing up. Let's get you cleaned up, and then we can put that under your pillow," Greg had remarked as he ushered Alex toward the bathroom. The tooth fairy had never visited him or his brothers, but Alex didn't need to know that.

He'd put a dollar from his piggy bank under Alex's pillow that night, and the next morning Alex had bounced down the stairs and given him a big unexpected hug without saying a word.

"I'm glad you've found happiness, Alex. That's…all I've ever wanted for you."

They didn't exchange any other words that morning, choosing to let the hug give voice to all the things unspoken, just like it had all those years ago.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading :)


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